The government has issued guidance for hydrogen producers on greenhouse gas emissions reporting and sustainability criteria under a new UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard.
On 8 April, BEIS published the Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard, setting a maximum threshold for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed in the production process for hydrogen to be considered “low carbon”. Complying the standard will help to ensure low carbon hydrogen production directly contributes to the UK’s carbon reduction targets. It will require hydrogen producers to meet a greenhouse gas emissions intensity of 20g CO2e/MJLHV of produced hydrogen or less for it to be considered low carbon, as well as to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions up to the point of production.
Further requirements include accounting for the emissions associated with meeting a theoretical minimum pressure level of 3MPa, as well as a theoretical minimum purity of 99.9% by volume at the production plant gate, in the emissions calculations.
Producers will also have to include emissions associated with the capture, compression, transport and storage of CO2 in their emissions calculations; account for the use of electricity, using data to demonstrate that the electrolyser is operating at the same time as the electricity input source; and set out a risk mitigation plan for fugitive hydrogen emissions. This plan should demonstrate how fugitive hydrogen emissions at the production plant will be minimised, provide estimates of expected rates of remaining fugitive hydrogen emissions by the plant, and prepare a monitoring methodology.
The standard also requires producers to meet additional requirements for the use of biogenic inputs, where relevant and as appropriate for the feedstock source and classification, demonstrating compliance with the land, soil carbon and forest criteria; satisfy the minimum waste and residue requirement; and report on estimated indirect land-use change greenhouse gas emissions.
